What Not to Write on Your Security Clearance Form
A young boy's innocent cryptography hobby during WWII inadvertently triggers a full-blown FBI investigation, mistaking him for a Japanese spy. Years later, this bizarre childhood incident becomes an unexpected hurdle during a security clearance application. The story offers a humorous yet insightful look into wartime paranoia, bureaucratic absurdity, and the pragmatic advice sometimes needed to navigate government security processes, resonating strongly with HN's audience.
The Lowdown
Les Earnest recounts a peculiar childhood event that unexpectedly resurfaced during his security clearance application. This tale from 1943 describes how a harmless game of codes and ciphers with a friend led to a full-blown FBI investigation, painting him as a potential Japanese spy at just twelve years old.
- Inspired by a book on codes and ciphers, young Earnest and a friend devised their own jargon code, complete with a typewritten key for secret communication.
- Earnest accidentally lost his glasses case, which contained his copy of the code key, while riding a streetcar.
- Amidst intense wartime paranoia, a "patriotic citizen" found the case, believed the code key to be Japanese spy material, and promptly turned it over to the FBI.
- The FBI launched a significant, high-priority investigation, tracking down Earnest via his glasses prescription and questioning his mother about her 12-year-old son's suspected espionage.
- The agent was reportedly quite disappointed to discover the "spy" was merely a child, after the case had cost the government thousands of dollars and six weeks of top-priority investigation.
- Years later, when Earnest applied for a security clearance for a summer job, he honestly disclosed the prior FBI investigation.
- An agitated security officer tore up his application, instructing him to resubmit it without mentioning the incident and threatening to block his clearance if he included it.
- Earnest complied with the instruction, successfully obtained the clearance, and never again disclosed the incident on subsequent security clearance forms.
Earnest's story serves as a memorable illustration of wartime hysteria, the comical extent of bureaucratic investigations, and the pragmatic—if unconventional—advice sometimes offered to navigate rigid security processes.